Emma Hayes said this season could prove her favourite title triumph yet after her Chelsea team closed in on yet another WSL crown.
The Blues are on the verge of winning the league for a fourth year in a row, as they went five points clear with a 2-0 win over Arsenal, thanks to goals from Guro Reiten and Magdalena Eriksson. If Man Utd fail to beat rivals Man City this evening, Hayes' team will be crowned champions.
Even if United do win the derby, Chelsea know they only need to beat bottom-of-the-table Reading to finish the job. And Hayes said if her team remain top after the final game next weekend, it will be her most treasured success of what would be her sixth WSL championship.
"If we win the title it will hands down be my favourite," revealed Hayes. "I don't know why but it will. Maybe because of my own personal health issues and coming straight back in after an (emergency) hysterectomy.
"But I trust the people around me with my life, it's not about me, it's about the whole team. I knew we could all deliver at a high level.
"We've always been chasing games. Our calendar has been relentless from March onwards. The first half of the season was hard to find the rhythm because we didn't have the games.
"It was hard to get that balance right with that, but the squad have been amazing this year. Sometimes when you don't overanalyse and you have rhythm it's much easier. You ask the players, they prefer it."
Although the title will be settled if United fail to win this evening, Hayes added that her players aren't planning to watch the final game of the weekend together.
"It's business as usual for a week, the players are in every day, the Chelsea boss added. "Then on Saturday night, we switch off. We haven't planned to watch it (the Manchester derby) everyone is tired and wants to go home."
Hayes also paid tribute to departing duo Pernille Harder and club captain Eriksson. The pair bowed out on a winning note at Kingsmeadow, after Chelsea announced this week they would leave the club at the end of the season.
"I have mixed feelings," added Hayes. "I'm really happy we won. But really sad to lose two amazing people.
"We've got solid relationships and have had honest conversations. They have both had amazing years and amazing times here. It was so fitting for Magda to score today and everyone wanted that today.
"There's a separation but they both want nothing more than for Chelsea to thrive. I respect them so much as people, I'm proud of them and I wish them well."
